Step-by-step lead pencil



Nov. 14, 1939. H. A. WARD STEP-BY-STEP LEAD PENCIL Filed July 2, 1938Odillfvf filiali? AT1-OR Y atente Nov. 14, 1939 PATENT orifice STEP-BY-STEP LEAD PENCIL Hugh A. Ward,

New York, lilZ Y.

imputation July 2, 193s, serial No. 217,112

9 Claims.

This invention relates to so-called step-bystep" pencils and finds oneof its preferred embodiments in a magazine pencil of the type whicheffects the advance of a new length of leadinto 5 writing position by asimple manual thrust, the lead feeding being conveniently accomplishedby one handed manipulation by the user.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a constructionwhich will eliminate or l lessen the possibility of jamming or otheraccidental derangement of the feeding mechanism.`

vThis involves an automatic lead guiding, lead gripping, and leadadvancing mechanism which is inaccessible to the user of the pencil, yetwhich is positive in its action.

'Among the problems involved in the construction of a pencil of thistype are:

(l) Holding the lead in writing position,

(2) Preventinga lead from dropping out of and (3) `The positive grippingand movement of the lead toward forward position.

A feature of the preferred embodiment of the invention isl the provisionof. means whereby the lead at no part of the operation cycle can escapegravitationally from its holding and feeding mechanism. v

The preferred embodiment of the invention makes use of two lead clampingmembers, one of which is' effective to grip the lead in its normalwriting position. The second lead gripping member serves as the leadadvancing means, and in the operation of the pencil the timing is suchthat 4one lead clamping member engages the lead substantiallysimultaneously with the release of the lead by the other.

The invention provides a mechanism which is positive in action, which isrugged and durable in construction, which may be assembled with fa-Icility and expedition, and which is well suited to meet therequirements of economical manufacture and to withstand the rigorousabuse of casual or careless handling or manipulation.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessingthe` features, properties, and the relation of elements which will beexemplied in the typical article hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, as a non-limitingexample, in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section showing the m6911- anism in normalerwriting position;

the barrel during the lead advancing movement,

(Cl. 1Z0-17) Figure 2V is an enlarged partial view in vertical sectionshowing the parts after the rst step in the downward or working stroke;

Figure 31s a view similar to Fig. 2, but showingthe par-tsat the end ofthe .working stroke;

Figure 4 is a View similar toFig. 2, but showing the parts toward theend of the upward or idle stroke;

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line -'invFg. 3; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line G--G 'in Fig. 4.

Fig. l. shows the pencil of the invention with the. parts in positionfor writing; hereafter and in the claims, this position will be calledthe normal position. As is customary in speaking of magazine pencils,movement ofthe parts towards and away from the tip will be calledrespectively, downward and upward movement. For purposes of description,casingv it and tip li will beasf sumed to be' stationary.

Magazine l2, for leads it, and slotted lead guide tube llt connectedtherewith are movable Within the casing. Guide tube ld is provided withlateral slots l5 vand has at its lower end outwardly spring-pressedlead-gripping jaws or` fingers i6. Jaws i6 are normally held in camrelation with collar Il for forcing them in gripping engagement withlead I3. Collar l'l is pref erably formed of conical shape, soldered totip ll, and secured in casing l0 by threaded connection i8. The downwardmovement of guide tube I4 is limited by shoulder it, adapted to impingeon seat 20 on the inside of collar l'l.

`Slidably mounted on guide tube It is a gripper unit 2l including springjaws 22 inserted in slots lli of the guide tube'and normally out vofengagement with the lead therein, as shown in Fig. 6. At the top of thegripper unit, there is provided a shoulder 23. To operate the grippers,there are provided means'such as sleeve 2t, connected to actuatingsleeve 25, and provided with seat 26 for receiving shoulder 23. Sleeve25 is capable of independent movement with respect to both casing H andguide tube i4, but has sumcient frictional engagement with magazine l2to carry said member with it during a portion of its movement. It isnormaly held in upward position by the action of spiral spring 21.Preferably there is provided a protective sleeve 28 for preventingdeformation of spring 21 and held in place lby the pressure thereof.Sleeve 25 extends above the top of casing l0 and may terminate in a pushbutton type of cap 29 as-shown, or may instead be capped by an uppercasing member adapted to telescope withlower casing member II.

The operation of the feeding mechanism is accomplished by depressing cap29 from the normal position shown in Fig. 1, various stages'of thefeeding action being shown in Figs. 2,3, and 4. When sleeve 25 rstbegins to move downward, by reason of its frictional engagementtherewith it carries with it magazine l2 and guide tube I4 until themovement of the latter is arrested by shoulder I9 striking against seat20, which position is shown in Fig. 2.. This amount of movement by guidetube I4 is suillcient to carry jaws I6 out of contact with collar I1 andcause them to release their gripl on lead I3. Practicallys'imultaneously with this action, as sleeve, 25 continues its downwardmovement, it carries sleeve 26 along gripper unit 2| until it engagesjaws 22 and forces them by 4cam action to grip lead I3, as shown in Fig.5, and feed it forward in guide tube I4. This downward movementcontinues until sleeve 25 strikes the upper end of sleeve 28, as shownin Fig. 3.

When pressure on cap 29 is released, spring 2l! causes sleeve 25 toretract, carrying with it magazine I2 and guide tube I 4 until movementof the latter is arrested by the engagement between collar il and jaws II5, which causes the latterl to -grip and hold the lead.'I'hereafter,'sleeve 25 continues to retract under the urging ci spring21., carrying along with it gripper unit 2I by reason of'the engagementbetween seat 26 and shoulder 23, grippers 22 being out of engagementwith the lead as shown in Fig. 6. This retracting movement continuesuntil all the parts regain normal position.

It will be seen that the invention provides mechanism which is at thesame time both simple and positive in action. Moreover, the mechanism ofthe invention is unlikely to jam or otherwise get out of order, onaccount of its simplicity and the continuous passage provided for thelead from the magazine to the tip.

Since certain modifications in the article which embody the inventionmay be made without departing from its scope. it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a step-by-step pencil, a casing and tip; a magazine meinberandslotted lead guide tube connected therewith, said guide tube beingprovided at its outer end with releasable jaws and being capable ofmovement with respect to said tip; said tip being adapted to force saidjaws into/gripping position when said parts are in writing position;gripper 'means slidably mounted on said guide. tube for propelling saidlead towards said tip; and sleeve means capable of movement with respectto both said guide tube and said tip, for operating said gripper means.

2. In a step-by-step lead pencil, a casing and conical tip connectedtherewith; a lead magazine and slotted guide tube connected therewithand ,reciprocable .with respect to said tip; said guide tube beingprovided at its lower end with releasable jaws; means for causing said'jaws to grip' the lead and thus limit upward movement of said tube;means for limiting downward movement of said tube; releasable grippermeans slid- ,ably mounted on said guide tube and extending into theslots therein; and an exteriorly acccssicasing and tip, lead feedingmeans comprising incombination, a lead magazine member and slotted guidetube connected therewith and providing a passage to said tip, said tubebeing provided at its lower end with releasable jaws, said jaws beingheld in gripping engagement with the lead by cam contact with said tipwhen said parts are in writing position, said tube being capable ofsufiicient movement with respect to said tip to release said jaws;gripper means slidably mounted on said guide tube and adapted to gripsaid lead through said slots; and an exteriorly accessible,spring-controlled sleeve for operating said gripper means.

4. In a step-by-step lead pencil including a casing and tip, leadfeeding means comprising in combination, a lead magazine member andslotted guide tube connected therewith and providing a passage to saidtip, said tube being provided at its lower end with releasable jaws,said jaws being held in gripping engagement with the lead by cam contactwith said tip when said parts are in writing position, said tube beingcapable of suilicient movement with respect to said tip to release saidjaws; gripper means slidably mounted on said guide tube and adapted togrip said lead through said slots; and an exteriorly accessible, springcontrolled sleeve for operating said gripper means, said gripper meansbeing provided at its upper end with a shoulder, and said sleeve beingprovided with an interior seat adapted to receive said shoulder andsupport said gripper means. i

5. A step-by-step magazine lead pencil comprising in combination, acasing and tip; a lead magazine and slotted lead guide tube connectedtherewith and movable with respect to said ca sing; said guide tubebeing provided at its lower end with releasable jaws; stationary meansin cam relation with said jaws for forcing the same to grip the lead;means for limiting the movement of said guide tube; releasable grippermeans slidably mounted on said guide tube and adapted to grip the leadthrough the slots in said tube; and exteriorly accessible operatingmeans for 'said gripper means for causing the same to grip and advancethe lead towards said tip and then to release it and return to normalposition.

6. A magazine lead pencil comprising in combination, a casing and tip; amagazine memberand slotted lead guide tube connected therewith andmovable with respect to said tip, the lower end ciA said guide tubebeing provided with releasable jaws; means for causing said jawsnormally to grip the lead; gripper means slidably' mounted on said guidetube and adaptedvto extend into the slots in said tube and grip 'and'advance the lead therein, said gripper means being normally in aretracted position; operat- -ing means for said gripper means; and anexcluding a casing having a tip at its lower end, a magazine member andslotted lead guide tube connected therewith and @mf-.1 a passage to saidtip, said tube being provided at its lower end with releasable jawsnormally in cam engagement with said tip for gripping said lead inwriting position, said tube being capable oi suicient movement withrespect to said tip to release said jaws; gripper means slidably mountedon said guide tube and adapted to grip said lead through said slots;exteriorly accessible actnating means; and operating means actingnormally to hold said grippers in retracted position and out oiengagement with said lead, and acting in response to the operation ofsaid actuating means iirst to advance said guide tube to release saidjaws, then to force said grippers to grip and advance said lead, then topermit said guide tube to retract and force said jaws again intogripping position, and then to cause said gripper to vrelease saidleadand to return to normal position.

e. A step-by-step lead pencil, comprising in combination a casingprovided with a conical' ti a lead magazine and slotted lead guide tubelconnected therewith and reciprocable within said casing, said guidetube being provided at its lower end with releasable lead-gripping jaws;stationary camming means in said tip for forcing said `iaws normallyinto gripping position; means for limiting the movement of said guidetube; a grip- 'per unit slidably mounted on said guide tube and providedwith releasable jaws extending into the slots therein for gripping andfeeding the lead; saidV gripper unit being provided at its upper endwith a shoulder; and an externally accessible, spring controlled sleevefor operata ing said gripper unit, said sleeve being interiorly providedwith a seat for receiving said shoulder on said gripper unit to retractthe same to normal position after each working stroke.

9. A step-by-step lead pencil, comprising in combination a casingprovided with a conical tip; a lead magazine and slotted lead guide tubeconnected therewith and reciprocable within said leasing, said guidetube being provided at its lower end with releasable lead-gripping jaws;stationary camming means in said tip for forcing said jaws normally intogripping position; means for limiting the movement of said guide tube;a. gripper unit slidably 4mounted on said guide tube and provided withreleasable jaws extending into the slots therein for gripping andfeeding the lead; said gripper unit beingprovided at its upper end witha shoulder; and an externally accessible, spring controlled sleeve foroperating said gripper unit, said sleeve being interiorly pro` videdwith a seat for receiving said shoulder on said gripper unit to retractthe same to normal position after each working stroke, and a stationarysleeve for' preventing deformation of said spring and adapted totelescope with said operating sleeve and limit the downward movementthereof.

HUGH A. WARD.

